ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The Atlanta Braves open a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, marking the seventh of 15 regular season games broadcast on Gray Media in 2025.
Atlanta suffered a big blow to its rotation when it was discovered that southpaw Chris Sale suffered a fractured left ribcage on a diving play in the ninth inning of an eventual win against the New York Mets on June 18.
Without Sale — who’ll be out for the foreseeable future — the Braves have a rotation of Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder and 20-year-old Didier Fuentes, who has allowed 10 earned runs in 8.1 innings pitched this season.
The team is already without starters Reynaldo Lopez and AJ Smith-Shawver, and its minor-league depth is bleak. A trade could be in the works for this team if it continues winning ballgames and keeping pace in an NL East division that the New York Mets and Phillies run 10 and 9.5 games, respectively.
Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper has been dealing with a lingering wrist injury since early June, and could be back with the team as early as Monday. But there’s very little chance Harper will play against the Braves this weekend.
Here’s the full injury report:
- RHP Daysbel Hernandez (right forearm inflammation) – expected return is TBD
- RHP Joe Jimenez (left knee surgery) – will not return before August, could miss the entirety of 2025
- RHP Reynaldo López (right shoulder inflammation) – expected return is TBD
- LHP Chris Sale (fractured rib cage) – expected return is TBD
- RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (torn right UCL) – underwent Tommy John surgery on June 9, out for the season and part of 2026
Phillies injury report
Here’s the full Phillies injury report:
- 1B Bryce Harper (right wrist inflammation) – expected to return next week
- RHP Aaron Nola (right ankle sprain, stress fracture in right rib) – expected to return early to mid-August
First pitch is at 7:15 p.m. EST on Friday.
How to watch Braves on Gray
Gray Media will simulcast these 15 Atlanta Braves games throughout the Southeast this season.
Fans can watch Friday’s Braves on Gray simulcast by tuning into Atlanta News First over the air on channel 46 or on YouTube TV, Dish Network, DirecTV, Xfinity and Spectrum.
If you are in another market outside of Atlanta, you can find your channel at BravesOnGray.com.
